OBJECTIVEThis review aims to summarize the progress of current clinical studies in ocular angiogenesis treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy and to discuss the benefits and challenges of the treatment.

DATA SOURCESPubmed, Embase and the Cochrane Library were searched with no limitations of language and year of publication.

STUDY SELECTIONClinical trials and case studies presented at medical conferences and published in peer-reviewed literature in the past decade were reviewed.

RESULTSAnti-VEGF agents have manifested great potential and promising outcomes in treating ocular neovascularization, though some of them are still used as off-label drugs. Intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF agents could be accompanied by devastating ocular or systemic complications, and intimate monitoring in both adult and pediatric population are warranted. Future directions should be focused on carrying out more well-designed large-scale controlled trials, promoting sustained duration of action, developing safer and more efficient generation of anti-VEGF agents.

CONCLUSIONSAnti-VEGF treatment has proved to be beneficial in treating both anterior and posterior neovascular ocular diseases. However, more safer and affordable antiangiogenic agencies and regimens are warranted to be explored.

Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; therapeutic use ; Aptamers, Nucleotide ; therapeutic use ; Bevacizumab ; Eye ; blood supply ; drug effects ; pathology ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; drug therapy ; Ranibizumab ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; antagonists & inhibitors

BACKGROUNDPhotodynamic therapy (PDT) has been recommended as a main treatment for idiopathic choroidal neovascularization (I-CNV). But the visual results of PDT were inconsistent and variable, and PDT may bring severe damage to the retinal pigment epithelium and choriocapillaries. In recent years, intravitreal ranibizumab therapy, showing favorable visual outcomes, has developed as an advanced treatment for choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Although both methods have been reported to be effective in treating I-CNV, there is no detailed comparative report between the two methods. This study aimed to compare visual outcomes, retinal and choroidal thickness between intravitreal ranibizumab therapy and PDT in the treatment of I-CNV, and investigate the correlation of visual outcomes with retinal and choroidal thickness in each of the two groups.

METHODSThirty-seven eyes of 37 patients with I-CNV were involved in this study; 19 eyes were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab therapy and 18 eyes were treated with PDT. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was recorded before and at each follow-up visit after treatments (logMAR). Enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) was used to evaluate the retinal structural changes, and to measure central retinal thickness (CRT) and central choroidal thickness (CCT).

RESULTSMean BCVA was 0.64 ± 0.27 in PDT group and 0.69 ± 0.22 in ranibizumab group at baseline (P = 0.55). When compared with the baseline, mean BCVA in PDT group was improved significantly at 3-month after PDT (0.41 ± 0.16, P = 0.002), then changed little (0.42±0.25 at 12-month, P = 0.88). Whereas mean BCVA in Ranibizumab group was improved significantly at each follow-up visit. It improved much more obviously in the first month and then remained stable. The mean BCVA in the ranibizumab group was significantly better at each follow-up visit than that in PDT (P < 0.05). When compared with the baseline, mean CRT in PDT group decreased significantly since 3-month visit, whereas mean CRT in ranibizumab group decreased significantly from 1-month visit. Mean CRT at 1-month and 3-month decreased much more in ranibizumab group than that in PDT group, almost in the same period as BCVA improving. When compared with the baseline, mean CCT did not change significantly at each follow-up visit in each group (P > 0.05). The CCT difference was not statistically significant between the two groups at each same time visit (P > 0.05). Mean BCVA was correlated with CRT, but was not correlated with CCT.

CONCLUSIONSBoth intravitreal ranibizumab therapy and PDT are effective for the treatment of I-CNV. It is obvious that ranibizumab therapy is significantly superior to PDT in improving BCVA and decreasing CRT. CRT decreases much more rapidly in ranibizumab group than in PDT group, simultaneously with visual improvement. CRT reduction has significant correlation with the visual outcomes in the recovery of I-CNV, whereas BCVA prognosis may have no correlation with CCT. CCT is not changed significantly after each of the treatments. Both PDT and ranibizumab therapy may have no significant effect on choroid.

Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections ; Male ; Photochemotherapy ; methods ; Ranibizumab ; Retina ; drug effects ; pathology ; Visual Acuity ; drug effects

BACKGROUNDGlaucoma secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an uncommon but serious complication that threatens vision and therefore cannot be neglected. A few cases of secondary glaucoma resulting from lupus-induced or iatrogenic ocular impairments have been reported in association with SLE. However, a systematic analysis of the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma secondary to SLE has not been reported in the literature. The aim of this study is to further investigate the relationship between glaucoma and SLE.

METHODSIn this study, we reviewed nine eyes of five patients diagnosed with secondary glaucoma associated with SLE, including one case of neovascular glaucoma and four cases of steroid-induced glaucoma.

RESULTSNeovascular glaucoma was successfully treated by Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation surgery with adjunctive ranibizumab intravitreal injection, followed by panretinal photocoagulation (PRP). The steroid-induced glaucoma in eight eyes of four cases were controlled by trabeculectomy along with antiproliferative agents.

CONCLUSIONRegular follow-up ocular examinations should be conducted to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of secondary glaucoma in SLE patients to improve the prognosis of vision.

Adult ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Glaucoma ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Ranibizumab ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aging ; physiology ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Macular Degeneration ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; Ranibizumab ; Visual Acuity ; drug effects

Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intravitreal Injections ; methods ; Ranibizumab ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Retinopathy of Prematurity ; drug therapy ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUNDAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss among the older population. In China, treatment of age-related ocular diseases is becoming a priority in eye care services. This study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and quality of life of Chinese patients with wet AMD and current treatment types, to evaluate short-term gains in different treatments, and to investigate associations between visual function and vision-related quality of life (VRQoL).

METHODSA prospective, observational, noninterventional study was conducted. Basic data were collected from patients with clinical diagnoses of wet AMD before clinical assessments at baseline. VRQoL was measured with the Chinese version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25). Correlations of the NEI VFQ-25 subscale scores with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and between-group differences were analyzed.

RESULTSA total of 80 wet AMD patients were enrolled, with the mean age of 68.40 years. About one-quarter of wet AMD patients received intravitreal (IVT) ranibizumab treatment, and 67% of them were treated on a pro re nata basis. The visual acuity of patients treated with IVT ranibizumab at month 3 after treatment was significantly increased, whereas patients treated with traditional Chinese medicine achieved no significant improvement. Cronbach's α for the NEI VFQ-25 subscales ranged from 0.697 to 0.843. Eight subscale and overall composite scores were moderately correlated with the BCVA of the better-seeing eye. Significant differences in the overall NEI VFQ-25 scores and other subscales were observed between patients with BCVA in the better-seeing eye of less than 50 letters and the others.

CONCLUSIONSPatients treated with IVT ranibizumab experienced better vision improvement at short-term follow-up. The Chinese version of the NEI VFQ-25 is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the VRQoL of Chinese wet AMD patients.

Aged ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections ; Macular Degeneration ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Ranibizumab ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Wet Macular Degeneration ; drug therapy ; physiopathology

INTRODUCTIONWe report a case in which intravitreal bevacizumab and ranibizumab appeared to have effects in the contralateral, uninjected eye.

CLINICAL PICTUREAn 83-year-old man with macular oedema from branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) in the right eye developed neovascular macular degeneration in the left eye. Intravitreal bevacizumab in the left eye improved macular oedema in the right eye temporarily before it recurred. Subsequently, intravitreal ranibizumab in the left eye also resulted in significant reduction of macular oedema in the right eye.

OUTCOMEVision and macular oedema in the right eye improved.

CONCLUSIONBevacizumab and ranibizumab may have therapeutic effects in the uninjected eye, possibly because they may escape from the eye into the systemic circulation.

Aged, 80 and over ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; Bevacizumab ; Eye ; drug effects ; Humans ; Injections ; Macular Edema ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Male ; Ranibizumab ; Retinal Vein Occlusion ; complications ; Treatment Outcome ; Vitreous Body

BACKGROUNDIntravitreal ranibizumab injection is effecitve on treating myopic CNVs, but it could be a risk factor for developing more severe retinoschisis in eyes with preexisted retinoschisis and epiretinal membrane. This study aimed to explore the incidence and features of retinoschisis after intravitreal ranibizumab injection for myopic choroidal neovascularization.

METHODSEighty-three eyes of 81 patients with choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathologic myopia were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab injection. The best corrected visual acuity and optical coherence tomography (OCT) images were recorded at baseline and every month thereafter. Central retina thickness and maximal retina thickness were measured. The subjects were divided into three groups. Eleven eyes that had retinoschisis and epiretinal membrane were in group 1, six eyes that had simple epiretinal membrane were in group 2, and 66 eyes that had neither retinoschisis nor epiretinal membrane were in group 3. Six contralateral eyes in group 1 which had retinoschisis and epiretinal membrane but were not treated with intravitreal ranibizumab injection were set as the control group.

RESULTSSeven of the 11 eyes in group 1 developed more severe retinoschisis, the mean maximal retinal thickness increased from (380.28 ± 90.13) to (467.00 ± 70.20) µm (P < 0.05). The retinoschisis of all 6 eyes of the control group did not aggravate. Compared with the control group, the aggravation ratio of retinoschisis increased significantly (P < 0.05). No new onset of retinoschisis took place in group 2 and group 3.

CONCLUSIONIntravitreal ranibizumab injection may be a risk factor for aggravation of retinoschisis in eyes with preexisted retinoschisis and epiretinal membrane.

Adult ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myopia, Degenerative ; drug therapy ; Ranibizumab ; Retinoschisis ; drug therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To observe the imaging features of optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)in eyes with wet age-related macular degeneration(wAMD)after treatment with 3+pro re nata(3+PRN)of intravitreal anti-Ranibizumab.Methods This study included 8 treatment-naive eyes with wAMD diagnosed by fluorescein fundus angiography(FFA)and indocyanine green angiography(ICGA)from September 2016 to May 2017.All the patients were treated with 3+PRN of intravitreal anti-Ranibizumab(0.5 mg/0.05 ml).We performed OCTA with 6 mm×6 mm scans at baseline and 1,3,and 6 months after treatment.We analyzed best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)(logMAR),type of choroidal neovascular(CNV),and morphological features and changes of CNV,central retinal thickness(CRT),outer retina vessel density(ORVD),and choroidal capillary vessel density(CCVD).Results A total of 8 eyes were examined in 8 patients[4 males and 4 females with a mean age of(70.9±10.6)years of age].Three eyes had type Ⅰ CNV and 5 eyes had type Ⅱ CNV.At baseline,month 1,month 3,and month 6,BCVA was 0.55(0.33,0.87),0.35(0.24,0.84),0.35(0.22,0.58),and 0.26(0.10,0.58)logMAR,respectively(all >0.05).CRT was(271.88±91.95),(204.00±45.78),(196.00±31.14),and(219.25±71.32)μm,respectively,and there was a statistical significance between CRT at baseline and CRT at month 3(=2.211,=0.044).ORVD was(41.38±2.77)%,(41.73±3.60)%,(42.53±1.95)%,and(41.40±2.33)%,respectively(all >0.05).CCVD was(64.38±2.24)%,(64.96±1.39)%,(64.16±1.39)%,and(64.63±1.86)%,respectively(all >0.05).Correlation analysis showed BCVA was significantly correlated with both CRT(=0.009, =0.457)and CCVD(=0.001,=0.574),but not with ORVD(=0.093,=0.302).The morphological features at baseline showed that 2 eyes were lump-like,2 eyes were line-like,2 eyes were tangles,1 eye was elliptical ring-like,and 1 eye was fragment.At month 1,the morphologies were improved in 7 eyes,including the CNV showed decreased maximum diameter,rupture/fragment,loss of peripheral capillaries,decreased numbers and density,and reduced maximum cross-sectional area;the condition became worse in 1 eye,including the CNV showed ring formation,increased density,and increased maximum diameter.At month 3,the morphologied of 7 eyes were improved,while no obvious change was seen in 1 eye.At month 6,the CNV became normalized in 5 eyes but worsened in 3 eyes.No intraocular infection or other intravitreal injection-related complication was observed during the follow-up.Conclusion Observing CNV characteristics using OCTA technology can be used to evaluate the efficacy of Ranibizumab in patients with wAMD and guide the treatment and follow-up of wAMD patients.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Angiography ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ranibizumab ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Treatment Outcome ; Visual Acuity ; Wet Macular Degeneration ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to multifocal choroiditis (MFC) and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: In this retrospective, comparative study, 20 unique eyes with CNV were divided into two groups: 10 patients affected by MFC and 10 patients diagnosed with wet AMD. They all received local intravitreal (IVT) injections of ranibizumab, with 6 months of follow-up. Retreatment injections were performed based on findings suggestive of active neovascularization. RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed in the juxtafoveal CNV lesions, and average central macular thickness decreased in both groups following the anti-VEGF therapy (P<0.05). The average number of injections used in MFC patients was 1.6, while three injections on average were used in wet AMD patients (Z=-2.844, P=0.009). Best-corrected visual acuity was significantly improved in MFC patients after anti-VEGF therapy (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in wet AMD patients between before anti-VEGF therapy and 6 months later (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS IVT ranibizumab resulted in good clinical outcomes for juxtafoveal CNV secondary to MFC and wet AMD, but the average number of injections used in MFC was fewer than that used in wet AMD over a 6-month observation period. Compared with the wet AMD group, visual acuity was obviously improved in the MFC group at 6 months.
Adult ; Aged ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; Choroidal Neovascularization/drug therapy* ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Intravitreal Injections ; Macular Degeneration/drug therapy* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ranibizumab/therapeutic use* ; Treatment Outcome ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Vision, Ocular ; Wet Macular Degeneration/drug therapy*